G21F9/24

Radioactive waste repository systems and methods

A hazardous material repository includes a drillhole formed from a terranean surface into a subterranean zone that includes a geologic formation, where the drillhole includes a vertical portion and a non-vertical portion coupled to the vertical portion by a transition portion, the non-vertical portion includes a storage volume for hazardous waste; a casing installed between the geologic formation and the drillhole, the casing including one or more metallic tubular sections; at least one canister positioned in the storage volume of the non-vertical portion of the drillhole, the at least one canister sized to enclose a portion of hazardous material and including an outer housing formed from a non-corrosive metallic material; and a backfill material inserted into the non-vertical portion of the drillhole to fill at least a portion of the storage volume between the at least one canister and the casing.

DEVICE FOR DISPOSING NUCLEAR WASTE USING DEEP GEOLOGICAL REPOSITORY

A device comprises a raw material conveyor, a raw material mixer, a liquid waste conveying pipeline, an additive tank, a powder waste conveyor, an output pump, a liquid supply pump, a liquid supply manifold, an output manifold, a mixed liquid conveying pipeline, a high-pressure injection pump, a high-pressure pipeline, and a wellhead sealing device. The method includes: drilling a well; forming a fracture in the granite stratum; preparing a raw material; and injecting, by using a disposal device, a sand-carrying feed liquid from a high-pressure injection pump into the fracture of the underground granite stratum, so as to perform solidification. The method has low cost, high disposal efficiency, simple device structure, high usability, safety and reliability, and an effective reduction in nuclear waste contamination and hazards to the environment.

DEVICE FOR DISPOSING NUCLEAR WASTE USING DEEP GEOLOGICAL REPOSITORY

A device comprises a raw material conveyor, a raw material mixer, a liquid waste conveying pipeline, an additive tank, a powder waste conveyor, an output pump, a liquid supply pump, a liquid supply manifold, an output manifold, a mixed liquid conveying pipeline, a high-pressure injection pump, a high-pressure pipeline, and a wellhead sealing device. The method includes: drilling a well; forming a fracture in the granite stratum; preparing a raw material; and injecting, by using a disposal device, a sand-carrying feed liquid from a high-pressure injection pump into the fracture of the underground granite stratum, so as to perform solidification. The method has low cost, high disposal efficiency, simple device structure, high usability, safety and reliability, and an effective reduction in nuclear waste contamination and hazards to the environment.

Disassembly and disposal of munition components
11087898 · 2021-08-10 ·

Methods for disposing of munition components may include separating propellants from heavy metal penetrators and disposing of those separated components into different types of geological formations. The initially solid form propellants may be converted into a stable liquified propellant form, by a particular disclosed process, that may be injected within salt water (injection) disposal wells, where distal portions of such salt water disposal wells may be located in a geological formation of substantially at least one salt. The separated heavy metal penetrators (with or without their associated projectile jackets) may be disposed of within human-made caverns, where such human-made caverns may be located within a deep geological formation that is often 2,000 feet or more below the Earth's surface. The heavy metal penetrators may include uranium (depleted uranium). Portions of a given munition, to be disposed of, may be radioactive.

Disassembly and disposal of munition components
11087898 · 2021-08-10 ·

Methods for disposing of munition components may include separating propellants from heavy metal penetrators and disposing of those separated components into different types of geological formations. The initially solid form propellants may be converted into a stable liquified propellant form, by a particular disclosed process, that may be injected within salt water (injection) disposal wells, where distal portions of such salt water disposal wells may be located in a geological formation of substantially at least one salt. The separated heavy metal penetrators (with or without their associated projectile jackets) may be disposed of within human-made caverns, where such human-made caverns may be located within a deep geological formation that is often 2,000 feet or more below the Earth's surface. The heavy metal penetrators may include uranium (depleted uranium). Portions of a given munition, to be disposed of, may be radioactive.

Optimizing waste slurry disposal in fractured injection operations

Methods and apparatus are provided for optimizing operations for a fracturing injection waste disposal well especially where the formation is damaged or tight such that pressure fall-off tests are impractical due to extended leak-off rate times. Formation closure pressure and formation stress are calculated using Instantaneous Shut-in Pressure rather than traditional methods requiring actual fracture closure.

METHOD AND COMPOSITION FOR LIMITING PERMEABILITY OF A MATRIX TO LIMIT LIQUID AND GAS INFLOW
20210043335 · 2021-02-11 ·

A method of limiting or reducing liquid and/or gas inflow through a porous matrix, comprising delivering to said porous matrix a coagulable polymer emulsion or colloid for contacting with at least one selected additive which interacts with said polymer emulsion or colloid to form a sealing barrier to reduce liquid and/or gas inflow through the porous matrix wherein said coagulable polymer emulsion or colloid contains at least one selected additive including one or a combination of radiation stabilisers to confer radiation resistance; and wherein said sealing barrier is formed by contacting said polymer emulsion or colloid with a further selected additive to cause coagulation of said polymer emulsion or colloid to form said sealing barrier. The sealing composition, which has low toxicity, preferably contains carbon black as radiation stabiliser conferring radiation resistance for the sealing barrier in the range 1 to 100 MRad.

METHOD AND COMPOSITION FOR LIMITING PERMEABILITY OF A MATRIX TO LIMIT LIQUID AND GAS INFLOW
20210043335 · 2021-02-11 ·

A method of limiting or reducing liquid and/or gas inflow through a porous matrix, comprising delivering to said porous matrix a coagulable polymer emulsion or colloid for contacting with at least one selected additive which interacts with said polymer emulsion or colloid to form a sealing barrier to reduce liquid and/or gas inflow through the porous matrix wherein said coagulable polymer emulsion or colloid contains at least one selected additive including one or a combination of radiation stabilisers to confer radiation resistance; and wherein said sealing barrier is formed by contacting said polymer emulsion or colloid with a further selected additive to cause coagulation of said polymer emulsion or colloid to form said sealing barrier. The sealing composition, which has low toxicity, preferably contains carbon black as radiation stabiliser conferring radiation resistance for the sealing barrier in the range 1 to 100 MRad.

DISASSEMBLY AND DISPOSAL OF MUNITION COMPONENTS
20210057121 · 2021-02-25 ·

Methods for disposing of munition components may include separating propellants from heavy metal penetrators and disposing of those separated components into different types of geological formations. The initially solid form propellants may be converted into a stable liquified propellant form, by a particular disclosed process, that may be injected within salt water (injection) disposal wells, where distal portions of such salt water disposal wells may be located in a geological formation of substantially at least one salt. The separated heavy metal penetrators (with or without their associated projectile jackets) may be disposed of within human-made caverns, where such human-made caverns may be located within a deep geological formation that is often 2,000 feet or more below the Earth's surface. The heavy metal penetrators may include uranium (depleted uranium). Portions of a given munition, to be disposed of, may be radioactive.

DISASSEMBLY AND DISPOSAL OF MUNITION COMPONENTS
20210057121 · 2021-02-25 ·

Methods for disposing of munition components may include separating propellants from heavy metal penetrators and disposing of those separated components into different types of geological formations. The initially solid form propellants may be converted into a stable liquified propellant form, by a particular disclosed process, that may be injected within salt water (injection) disposal wells, where distal portions of such salt water disposal wells may be located in a geological formation of substantially at least one salt. The separated heavy metal penetrators (with or without their associated projectile jackets) may be disposed of within human-made caverns, where such human-made caverns may be located within a deep geological formation that is often 2,000 feet or more below the Earth's surface. The heavy metal penetrators may include uranium (depleted uranium). Portions of a given munition, to be disposed of, may be radioactive.